Sunderland are looking to win the race for highly rated St Johnstone midfielder Ali McCann but, according to the Courier, will have to pay at least £2 million for the Northern Ireland international.
Having missed out on promotion for a third season in a row, a Sunderland side – now under the auspices of Lee Johnson, Kristjaan Speakman and co – must feel as though they’re operating in the transfer market with one hand tied behind their back.
An attempt to re-sign former loan star Dion Sanderson has been made all the more difficult by the prospect of more Tuesday night trips to Cambridge, Gillingham and Accrington Stanley.
Top scorer Charlie Wyke, meanwhile, has turned down a new contract and is expected to join Celtic on a free transfer.
Some have suggested Wyke and McCann may be teammates at Parkhead next season, with St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean admitting the Buddies may be fighting a losing battle as they look to retain the services of a player who’s already threatening to outgrow a relatively small pond.
Will Ali McCann join Sunderland instead of Celtic?
Reports linking McCann with Celtic have dried up since the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, however, and that should offer Sunderland some encouragement in the race for one of the most naturally gifted youngsters north of the border.
The Black Cats will have to dig deep, however.
St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown insisted in May, as reported by the BBC, that anyone interested in McCann would need to part with a fee in the region of £2 million.
That would make the 21-year-old Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition since the ill-fated addition of Will Grigg in January 2019.
A technically gifted midfielder blessed with a fine passing range, McCann models his game on Marco Verratti and Northern Ireland legend Steve Davis.
His ability to control a game from deep makes him a good fit for a possession-orientated manager like Lee Johnson.
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